Fishing lure



FISHING LURE Mm 7, ma.,

Filed May 24, 1955 Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 4 Malmo.

is invention relates to hshing lures and has special reference toa weedless shng lure.

One importantobject of the invention is tol provide a novel form of fishing lure wherein the barb oi the hook used with the lure will, when the lure is in use, lie at all times above the shank of the hook and substantially in a verti cai plane passing longitudinally oi the axis oi the shank.

A second important object oi the invention is 'to provide a novel form of such lure wherein arrangement is inade for readily attaching and detaching the hook portion of said lure.

il third important object of the invention is to provide a novel form oi such iure wherein means are provided for preventing accidental disengagernent oi the hook portion oi the iure from the remainder of the device.

li iourth important object of the invention is to construct a novel form oi such iure wherein novel means are provided for holding a pork rind bait.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in general of certain novell details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter iully described, illustrated in the accompany drawing and specifically claimed.

)in the accompanying drawing like characters oi' reierence indicate like parts in the several views," and:-

Figure i is a side elevation of a complete lure constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section 'through the body or weight of such a lure andV showing certain oi' the associated parts with the hook held engaged.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but with the device opened and the hook removed.

Figure t is a rear end view of one orrn ol' body used in such a iure.

Figure 5 is a section on the line F-b of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical section through a modified form thereof with certain oi the associated parts shown in elevation.

Figure '7 is a rear end view of the body or weight shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical section through the rear part of the body showing the cruciform slot for preventing oscillation oi the hook used herewith.

In the embodiments of the invention herein disclosed each form of the lure is provided with a stem or leader having a main portion or shank l and a branch portion II which is connected to the rear end oi the main portion by an arcuate connecting portion ii. This stem or sneii is preierablymade of thin spring steel wire and the portion ii may be closed on the portion it as ln Figure 2 or be allowed to spring away 5 from the main portion as in Figure 3. When 'the branch il is closed on the main portion lli the connecting part ii forms a circular eye but, when positlo as in Figure 3; this eye springs open. A line attaching eye ii is formed lo at the forward end of the main stem lli.

in connection with this stern there is provided a lure body or weight iii which is pear shaped in cross section so that the greater mass oi the weight is adjacent the bottom. Also the weight l is so tapered on its under side from iront to rear that its center oi gravity lies toward its rear end. rihe upper part oi this weight is substantially straight from front to rear and, in use, lies in an approximately horizontal piane. in the narrow upper part oi the weight it extends a passage it through which passes the main portion or shank lli and in which may also be received the branch il. The passage it is in the form oi a narrow slot just wide enough to rit the wire oi the stem closely and of just such depth that the shank and its branch may be received therein. By this means the stern or sneli is prevented from rotating in the weight upon the parts being arranged as in Figure 2. The passage it is thus a laterally narrow and vertically widened slot iltting the shank and its branch. Under this construction the eye ii will, when using the lure, lie in a vertical plane. it is to be noted that the weight is sudati@ longitudinaily of the shank ill and in forward position releases the branch while in rearward position it holds the branch against the shank.

@n the forward part of the shank is fixed a bead it which is engaged by a. spinner i'i of 40 any preferred style and which is mounted. for rotation on the shank.

The lure is provided with a hook it having an eye it which is engageable with the shank by moving the weight forward so that `the branch il may open as in Figure 3 and thus be slipped through the eye i9 after which the branch ii is closed on the shank lll and the weight slipped rearwardly to hold the hook against accidental detachment.

The hook used may be bare as shown in Figure 6 or it may have a suitable dressing like a fly as shown at 2|) in Figure 1.` Obviously, any character of dressing may be used. In the form shown in Figure 4, the passage I5 terminates 55 rearwardly in a cruclform slot 2| so proportioned that the eye I2 will fit in the vertical part of the slot and?, the eye I9 in the horizontal part thereof, thus aiding in preventing rotation of the hook in relation to the weight. In the form shown in Figure '7 the passage I5 is vertically enlarged, as at 22, at its rear end and opens into a bore 23. 'Ihis vertical enlargement aids in preventing turning of hook and the bore 23 serves to permit a strip 24, of pork rind or the like, being hooked on the eye I2.

In any case the barb of ,the hook will lie uppermost as the lure is drawn through the water and, being in this position, will be unapt to catch weeds. Further, this position of the barb is most favorable for catching a fish when it strikes.

There has thus been provided a simple and eilicient device of the kind described and forl the purpose specified.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material principles involved. It is not, therefore, desired to confine the invention to the exact forms herein shown and described but it is desired to include all forms which come within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A fish lure including a length of wire forming a shank and a branch connected at their rear ends by a hook holding eye, said shank having a line attaching eye at its forward end, a weight forming a body and having a longitudinal passage above its center of gravity and extending from the forward end of the weight rearwardly, the shank extending through the passage to permit sliding movement of the weight on said shank and being of such size at its forward portion as to fit closely on the shank and branch when the latter is closed, said passage having its rear end vertically enlarged forming a bore to fit the hook holding eye, a hook provided with an eye, said eye engaging the eye on said shank, and a conical shaped element at the inward termination of said eye, said conical shaped element being adapted to bear against the inner periphery of said bore to keep the hook in alignment with said shank.

2. A fish lure including allength of wire forming a shank and a branch connected at their rear ends by a hook holding eye, said shank having a line attaching eye at its forward end, a weight forming body and having a longitudinal passage above its center of gravity and extending from the forward end of the weight rearwardly on a line parallel to the straight edge of said weight forming body, the shank extending through the passage to permit sliding movement of the weight on said shank and being of such size at its forward portion as to fit closely on the shank and branch when the latter is closed, said passage having its rear end vertically enlarged to fit the hook holding eye, said passage also being enlarged laterally at its rear end to form a bore and a cruciform slot to accommodate the eye of a hook, a hook provided with an eye, said eye engaging the eye of said shank, and a conical shaped element at the inward termination of said eye, said conical shaped element being adapted to bear against the inner periphery of said bore to keep the hook in alignment with said shank.

3. A fish lure including a length of wire forming a shank and a branch connected at their rear ends by a hook holding eye, said shank having a line attaching eye at its forward end, a Weight forming a body and having a longitudinal passage above its center of gravity and extending through the forward end of the weight rearwardly, the shank extending through the passage to permit sliding movement of the weight on said shank and being of such size at its forward portion as to fit closely on the shank and branch when the latter is closed, said passage having its rear end vertically enlarged to fit the hook holding eye, said weight having a bore at the rear end of said passage behind the enlarged portion, a hook provided with an eye, said eye engaging the eye on said shank, and a conical shaped element at the inward termina; tion of said eye, said conical shaped element being adapted to bear against the inner periphery of said bore to keep the hook in alignment with said shank.

4. A fish lure including a length of wire forming a shank and a branch connected at their rear ends by a hook holding eye, said shank having a line attaching eye at its forward end, a weight forming a body and having a longitudinal passage above its center of gravity and extending from the forward end of the weight rearwardly, the shank extending through the passage to permit sliding movement of the Weight on said shank and being of such size at its forward portion as to fit closely on the shank and branch when the ,latter is closed, said passage having its rear end verticallyenlarged to flt the hook holding eye, said passage also being enlarged laterally at its rear end to form a cruciform slot to accommodate the eye of a hook, said weight having a bore at the rear end of said passage behind the enlarged portion, a hook provided with an eye, said eye engaging the eye on said shank, and a conical shaped element at the inward termination of said eye, said conical shaped element being adapted to bear against the inner periphery of said bore to keep the hook in alignment with said shank.

J OI-IN WILLIAM MURRAY. 

